ANDY GRAY COLUMN: Seaman's still the best around

SEAMAN sunk? Don't bet on it. Unless he decides it's time to hang up his international gloves I'd almost guarantee Sven Goran Eriksson will pick him for England's next game.

The goal he let in against Brazil was a freak goal which he could do little about. The one that went over his head last Wednesday was easier to deal with and I am sure David is honest enough to admit he should have done better - not only with that goal but with his distribution, which at times was unbelievably poor.

Having said that I think he was made a scapegoat for a pathetic performance by the entire England team and the tone of the criticism he got was way over the top.

This guy has been, and as far as I am concerned still is, a brilliant goalkeeper. I think people are obsessed with his age. If David Seaman was 23 years old there wouldn't be an issue. But because he's reaching an age where retirement has to be in the back of his mind he is going to get slaughtered for every mistake he makes.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and it is inevitable that there will now be calls to ditch him. Fine, but you tell me who is going to take over. Who has done enough to prove they and not Seaman should be wearing that England No1 shirt?

The first option is David James. Everyone talks about him having everything a keeper needs. There's no question about his ability and his physical presence but I'll tell you what else he has...a tendency to make horrific mistakes.

What exactly are you going to achieve by replacing an error-prone David Seaman with an error-prone David James?

Some people think Paul Robinson should be thrown in at the deep end. I hope for the boy's sake Sven doesn't do that. It's too early for him. I thought he had a good season last year when he played a lot of games when Nigel Martyn was out but that's a long way from being an international goalkeeper. Paul is now the regular first- team choice and would obviously say he could handle the pressure but I think it would be a big mistake.

The big disappointment for me is that Chris Kirkland isn't playing regular first-team football at Liverpool. I really do think this boy has the potential to be the next England goalkeeper.

Unfortunately for him as long as he is playing in the reserves it's going to be hard for Sven to pick him. And with Jerzy Dudek signing a four-year extension on his contract at Anfield it's going to be even tougher for him to put himself in the spotlight.

He will just have to hope Dudek suffers a lack of form and he gets his chance.

So the truth is that if I look around the country at the moment I would have to say Seaman is still the best goalkeeper in England.

If the end is going to come it's a decision he has to make himself. Until that day comes or until another goalkeeper stakes a realistic claim, then as far as I am concerned it would be a very risky decision indeed to replace him now with either James or Robinson.

England will recover from this - and so will Seaman.

Interview: STEVE McKENLAY

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